Microsoft have confirmed in a statement made to Polygon that they are no longer charging developers a fee to patch Xbox 360 or Xbox Live Arcade games.

Eurogamer initially made the report — which was corroborated by the Official Xbox Magazine — and stated that while the previous policy required developers to pay hefty fees for game updates even including XBLA titles that failed certification. The policy shift now means that developers only pay a single fee with no penalty fees for re-submissions. Although there may be fees for “excessive” re-submissions.

Mac Whitten corporote VP of Xbox Live tweeted the following to Polygon;

@Polygon: FYI Microsoft eliminated fees for Title Updates on Xbox 360 Arcade games in April 2013

Microsoft eliminated fees for Title Updates on Xbox 360 Arcade games in April 2013,” the spokesperson wrote. “We’re constantly evaluating our policies and implementing feedback. While our development policies are confidential, and will remain so, we’re pleased to say that this is just one of many ongoing changes and improvements we’ve made to ensure Xbox is the best place possible for developers and gamers.

This can only be good news for developers, especially the indies.

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I've been playing games for the past 25 years and have been writing for almost as long. Combining two passions in the way I'm able is a true privilege. I'm mostly drawn to single player, story driven games and couch co-op, but will occasionally delve into multiplayer.